Name:
Cherize Grobler
Age:
35
Location:
Johannesburg
How much weight have you lost on your journey so far?
I’ve lost 9.6kgs.
What do you do? [Job]
Make-up Artist, Face & body artist, entrepreneur, and hustler!
What else do you do? [Hobbies, non-work stuff, etc]
Painting, having fun with my boyfriend, making food, and trying new things. Spending time with family and animals. Planning birthdays and holidays. Freecycling. Netflix and chill.
YOU AND SLEEKGEEK
How long have you been a member of Sleekgeek?
Since 2016
How did you find Sleekgeek?
Through a work colleague a few years ago.
What is your favourite part of the Sleekgeek Community?
Transformation Tuesdays, the inspiring stories, and of course the competitions!!!
YOUR TRANSFORMATION
Describe the “old you” before you made your transformation. How did you get there and what were you like?
The old me didn’t spend much time thinking about what I was putting into my body. I was lazy and never exercised. I was depressed and hated my body. It was negatively affecting so many if not all the aspects of my life.
After the announcement of my sister’s wedding date and having had enough of dressing myself in layers and being unhappy I decided I had to change my lifestyle. The first week I exercised once, the second week twice, and so on, and so on until I was training 4-5 days a week.
Four months later I entered my first Sleekgeek 8-week challenge. I was also blessed to receive an 8-week online training sponsorship from one of SA’s top personal trainers for the challenge and it marked the beginning of my weightlifting.
What ignited your initial motivation to change?
My younger sister’s wedding date announcement and being tired of having no energy and feeling badly about myself all the time. I was too embarrassed to do things with others because of how I looked and was sick of missing out on life.
What are some of the things that the new you does differently now?
I am a lot more mindful of what I put into my body. I enjoy being active and have developed a better balance of eating healthy and exercising regularly.
What are some of the things that the new you still struggles with?
Snacking and alcohol.
If you could give yourself 1 piece of advice to help with that struggle, what would it be?
Keep reminding yourself that today’s choices affect tomorrow’s energy and next week’s results.
Did you plateau, get stuck, or get disillusioned, or even slide backwards a bit on your journey?
Yes, I had a few moments where I did all those things, no real reason except for it boils down to learning how to manage your emotions and work hard on having a consistent, positive, and driven mindset.
What is better since you got healthy?
Literally everything! I have experienced so many improvements since I’ve gotten healthy from enjoying a better self-image and more confidence to having more energy, being more driven to be active, and experiencing more throughout my life as a result of it.
I have been inspired to start a career in the fitness and health industry and combine it with my current career in the makeup and face and body painting industry. I’m more motivated and more goal-orientated as a whole and have become someone whom my friends and family look to for advice and encouragement for their own goals. So many opportunities have presented themselves since I’ve become healthy… it’s been really incredible. It truly is like looking at life through a new set of glasses.
TRAINING
What’s your favourite form of exercise? [Running, yoga, weightlifting, etc]
Weightlifting, boxing, and running.
How long have you been training and how did you get started?
I started training on the 5th of July 2021.
What does your typical workout look like?
60min cardio 4 times a week
30min home-based strength and conditioning training 4 times a week
(When I was in the thick of things I either included or swapped out my home-based training for 1.5hrs – 2hrs of weight training at the gym.)
Favorite exercise? [Distance / pose / movement / etc]
Bicep curls and crunches.
Least favorite exercise? [Distance / pose / movement / etc]
Leg day.
How does exercise make you feel?
On top of the world!
Do you prefer to train alone or with others? Why?
Alone for cardio and with a buddy for weights.
Cardio I’m focusing on breathing and endurance training so I don’t like to talk. Also, I like to go at my own pace.
Weights I like a buddy to help push you and encourage you (and help you count your reps… hehe).
Most embarrassing training moment?
This one is quite bad and I beg of you to keep your judgments to yourself with this one.
Alrighty so luckily nobody saw me but one afternoon after an evening of butter chicken deliciousness I decided to go for a run. My tummy had been up and down that day but regardless I felt the need to get in some cardio. My goal was to cover a distance of 8km. The whole route I had awful gas but I was determined to push on. When I got to the 6km mark my body had an urgent and rather instant need I couldn’t ignore… I was still 2km from home and needed to go and go NOW! Needless to say, I did what I needed to do and I always giggle when I run past the neighbour’s garden whose plants received some extra fertilizer that faithful day.
Silver-lining was I felt 100 times better afterward and still managed to complete the full 8km route.
Top 3 things you must have at the gym or in your gym bag?
- Gym gloves
- Water
- Fitbit
Your next training goal?
Enter the Sleekgeek 8-Week New Year Challenge and do well. Lose those last stubborn kilos and sculpt it, baby!
Swim the 2022 Midmar mile.
Top 5 songs on your training playlist?
I actually don’t train with music at the gym… simply because I haven’t got headphones but at home, I like to put on the “Gym workout music mix 2020” on youtube.
How has exercise/training/Sport Changed your life? [Made it better, etc – please be specific]
I always had this misconception that weight training wouldn’t assist with weight loss. Man, was I wrong! I’m absolutely fascinated and impressed by how weight training can change your body and how great it is for weight loss. I’m not sure why I was afraid of weight training but I love it now. I look forward to getting into more of a constant routine in 2022. I’ve always been quite competitive and excelled at sport in my school years. I lost sight of that and have rediscovered my love for it after seventeen years has been indescribably magical and special.
NUTRITION
What’s your favourite meal?
Bacon, avo and feta pizza, and Pub grub.
OK, now what’s your favourite healthy meal?
Chicken salad with Carbsmart dressing
Favourite protein?
Biltong and Chicken
Favourite fat?
Avo
Favourite carbohydrate?
Bread and rice.
What’s your nutrition philosophy / approach? [If you have one]
All the small choices add up.
How many meals a day do you eat?
3 – 4 meals.
Do you have a cheat meal / treat strategy?
I tend to cheat on the weekends, my goal is to only have 1 cheat meal a week but it’s a tricky one for me, but I’ll get there.
MINDSET
Most memorable personal best achievement to date. Something you maybe never imagined you could do?
Having completed the following in 1 day:
2.5hr weight training session
30min cardio session
1hr military training boot camp
… I almost died!
Favorite quote?
‘’I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4 vs 13
Favourite book?
The Bible and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
What inspires and motivates you?
My own progress.
Setting new goals and achieving them.
Other people’s transformations and victories.
For what are you most grateful?
I am most grateful to God for giving me a functioning body that is capable of so much more than I thought, a mind that is stronger than I anticipated, and for blessing me with the support I received throughout my journey.
What do you want to say to other community members who might be nervous or hesitant to make a start?
If not now, then when?
What are your top 5 tips for anyone starting on a healthy journey?
- Know your limits
- Push those limits… you are more resilient then u can imagine!
- Consistency is key
- Learn to enjoy it
- Set daily goals
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